An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestley

An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestley

In Priestley's play An Inspector Calls, the two main characters,

Arthur Birling and the Inspector, both show certain features of real

people but, in particular the Inspector seems to be representative of

political and social issues that were relevant in 1912. What seems

like a simple detective thriller, with an inspector asking questions

and the other characters answering them in order to find the person

responsible for the suicide of Eva Smith (alias Daisy Renton),

gradually develops into a complex investigation of political stances,

of capitalism and socialism.

To answer this question fully, we have to consider many different

aspects of Mr Birling and the Inspector's characters. We need to look

at the views they express, but we also need to look at their

interaction with other characters before we can fully decide whether

they have a rounded personality and can thus be considered to be real

people or whether they merely represent social and political concepts.

We also need to consider the time the play was set in, the events, the

setting and the ritual associated with it.

In An Inspector Calls many different issues are brought up about

social attitudes and political views, but the most important has to be

responsibility. In this particular context, Birling and the Inspector

clearly have to be seen as representatives of two opposing definitions

of responsibility. While Birling sees it as "a man has to make his own

way, has to look after himself and his family", thus excluding

responsibility for anybody else, the Inspector represents the idea of

social responsibility in a society where t...

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...a Smith to

commit suicide. The Inspector never forgives nor punishes but just

tries to warn the Birlings of their doings so that they can say the

right things to the real Inspector, and to know what they have all

done.

I believe that Priestley has meant to not go into detail on the

Inspectors feelings and beliefs, as this almost adds a sought of

mystery around the Inspectors character, it mainly gets you thinking

towards the end, is the Inspector real or are the Birlings just

hallucinating, or could the Inspector be a ghost or a Goole which his

last name could represent (Inspector Goole). But the question was can

the Inspector represent a real person, to a certain extent yes, but

not as fully as Mr Birlings character can, so in my opinion he is not

a very good representative of real people in the era of the play.